John F. Denny

John F. Denny attempted to save J. Godfrey Schwab from drowning, Erie, Pennsylvania, January 2, 1934. Schwab, 69, street cleaner, broke through thin ice on Presque Isle Bay of Lake Erie at a point 700 feet from the shore. In water 35 feet deep, he clung to the handle of an ax, which he had imbedded in the ice. John, 17, schoolboy, who was on the ice 300 feet from shore, ran 200 feet toward Schwab and then cautiously walked to within two feet of the hole. He broke through and was briefly submerged in the hole with Schwab. John repeatedly tried to climb upon the ice, but the edge broke. He then trod water and held to the ice until a man arrived and pushed a scantling to him. John grasped the scantling and crawled out and away from the hole. He then crawled on the scantling toward Schwab and made an effort to pull him upon the ice. Failing, he ran 400 feet to a dock and returned to the hole with a rope. The man cast a loop in the rope over Schwab, and he and John then pulled Schwab upon the ice.